FAQs – Research Awards Jesús Serra

As a general rule, researchers who have not reached 46 years of age on the closing date of the call, of any nationality, and who have been carrying out their research in Spain for at least 3 years.

Candidates may exceed the age limit of 46 if they have temporarily interrupted their careers due to the birth or adoption of children and their care during the first months of life. These interruptions must be proven with documentation.

All activities that can be accredited through a contract, grant, official qualification, or other academic and work relations are considered relevant, if they include research as their subject. To mention just a few, these activities include studying doctorate and post-doctorate degrees, as well as research contracts or university contracts with a part-time dedication to research.

Yes, candidates must be affiliated with both public and private Spanish universities, hospitals, or research centres of renowned prestige.

No, candidates may work on broader research topics, but their contributions to food, nutrition, and health must be evident. The project submitted for the award must specifically address these areas.

No, candidates must choose only one of the categories. If the research project is in the preclinical phase, the category is defined by the candidate’s research career in this field, and more specifically by the longer-term goals of the line of research in which the project presented to these Awards is included.

Yes, candidates may reapply by submitting all required documentation, duly updated. If you wish to retrieve the information from your previous application, please contact investigacion@fundacionoccident.com.

Applications must be submitted through the Smartsimple platform, accessible via Smartsimple website. Applicants must register, complete the application form, and submit the required documents, including a description of the research project, an Abbreviated Standard Curriculum Vitae (ACV), and at least one letter of endorsement.

On the Smartsimple platform, you must register as an Freelance applicant. Once registered, access the Research Awards Jesús Serra 2025 call and begin your application by filling out the required fields. Remember to save your username and password so you can return to your application and complete it later. You can also find the link on fundacionoccident.org/eng/awards-research.

Applications can be submitted from April 29th to June 20th, 2025, at 2:00 PM CET.

To submit your research project, you must complete a document that will be available for download on the application platform, both in Word and editable PDF format. However, the document must be submitted in PDF format. This document includes required fields in which you must:

• Describe your research background and experience.
• Outline the project you are submitting, focusing on food, nutrition, and health.
• Highlight its key aspects, including impact and social benefits.
• Detail its international scope and future prospects.
• Specify how the funding will be used.

An abbreviated standard curriculum vitae (ACV) must be submitted. This includes information on the candidate’s education, experience, and career path, including leadership of projects or work groups, work abroad, and publications, as well as any other merits. The author’s impact and contributions to various publications and projects, or at least the most relevant ones, must be reported.

Yes, candidates must submit at least one letter of endorsement from their project supervisors or other recognised professionals affiliated with universities, hospitals, or research centres in Spain. Additional letters may also be provided by professionals from international organisations endorsing the candidate’s career and/or international and social impact.

No, it is not necessary. As indicated in the terms and conditions of the Awards, the ACV must include the URL to access the full reference (through PubMed, journal, DOI, etc.) so that the jury can quickly access it.

In general, it is not necessary to attach a copy of official qualifications, proof of stays or other merits or acknowledgments. However, we recommend including links to relevant documents or websites whenever possible. The jury reserves the right to check any of these merits, either by contacting the candidate and/or the awarding or host institutions.

Applications can be completed and submitted in both Spanish and English.

Yes, Fundación Occident will confirm receipt of your application via email.

The call includes two categories: basic research and clinical research, each with a €50,000 gross award. The prize must be used for research purposes.

The prize can be awarded directly to the winning candidate or to their institution, as defined by the recipient when accepting the award. Taxation will depend on the beneficiary’s entity and tax residence. We recommend consulting a financial advisor for further details.

The prize money must be used for research and any costs related to the direct implementation of the project, including, but not limited to, personnel costs and the purchase or rental of materials and equipment, as well as the presentation of results at conferences and other scientific events. Indirect costs are not funded.

Yes, in the days following the Jury’s decision, Fundación Occident will notify all candidates regarding the outcome of their application.